PHOTOS: Swamp buggies get fired at Florida Sports Park for time trials

NAPLES - Storylines abound as the Monsters of the Mudway kick off their 2010-11 swamp buggy racing season Sunday at the Florida Sports Park east of Naples.

The focus of the Budweiser Fall Classic will, of course, be on what happens between the grassy banks of the souperseedway known as the Mile-O-Mud. But minds also will be others who won't be racing at the canal-like oval when the green flag drops at 12:30 p.m.

Perhaps the most heart-wrenching story is that of defending Bud Cup champ Eddie Chesser, who Saturday confirmed that he will compete despite the fact that his father, former driver and longtime buggy builder, Lonnie Chesser, remains in serious condition following a severe stroke about a month ago.

Lonnie Chesser, the brother of retired racer Leonard Chesser, was recently moved to a St. Petersburg rehabilitation center, where the word late this week was that the Collier County pioneer has regained some motion and appears to be slightly improved.

Sunday, driver Reece Gardner will buckle into a buggy called Air Head, a machine that has emerged from the Chesser garage. Gardner said he would dedicate his effort today to Lonnie Chesser's recovery. It was only three weeks ago that Gardner himself suffered a mild heart attack.

Race official Rich Cullen also may miss today's competition. He recently was diagnosed with abdominal cancer and is scheduled for surgery in about two weeks. He was not on hand Saturday.

Driver Terry Walsh has turned the controls of his Bounty Hunter machine over to his wife, Bonnie, who normally drives the pink and black Fatal Attraction. Terry said he's suffered heart problems for some time and that the recent installation of a corrective device will keep him off the track.

While Sunday's agenda and outcome is unpredictable at best, Saturday's competition produced some not-so-surprising results after a delayed start of about 90 minutes.

As has been the case in so many Saturday events, Dan Greenling's Roll On again was the fastest of the Redneck Yacht Club Pro Modified Challenge. Of the four Pro Mods that completed laps, Greenling's time of 53.13 seconds was the result of a flawless lap. Greenling never let up on the gas and his smooth-handling buggy never missed a beat. He earned the winner-take-all check of $1,000.

Tony Migliazzo's Bada Bind was second fastest at 55.75, followed by Tyler Johns' Patriot at 57.88. Bonnie Walsh drove Bounty Hunter to a time of 58.75 and Randy Johns' Liberty One did not complete its lap because of mechanical issues.

In other Saturday results, Lorrie Johns won the V8 Sportsman final over the Southern Thunder driven by Wayne Harris. Jeep honors went to Steve Armstrong's Evil & Wicked and Air-Cooled kudos went to the Sidewinder piloted by John Parks.

Test laps were the order of the day Saturday and some teams were more race-ready than others.

One woman driver who hoped to get on the track — but didn't — was 47-year-old newcomer Kelly MacDonald. Engine problems with the Lilbuitmo machine owned by Lanny Swift derailed her debut.

"No. 3 on my bucket list, dude," was MacDonald's response when asked why she wanted to get involved in swamp buggy racing.

MacDonald added the bucket list items No. 1 and No. 2 involve "finding a husband and taking a trip to the Grand Canyon."

"We worked out butts off for the last six weeks trying to get the buggy ready," MacDonald said. "We won't run in October but we'll be back in January. The good thing was that a lot of the work that needed to be done is already out of the way. That's racing."

Sunday's show is expected to last about four hours and will wind up with the traditional Queen's Mudbath. To take her first dunking will be new Swamp Buggy Queen, Christa Jo Roberts, a nursing student who currently attends the University of South Florida.

Subsequent races in the 2010-11 Budweiser Cup Series will be in late January and early March.

General admission race tickets are available at the Florida Sports Park ticket windows. On-site parking is free. The track entrance is located at the intersection of Collier Boulevard and Rattlesnake Hammock Road, about three miles south of I-75 Exit 101.